This finding provides new evidence that bFGF plays an important role in mediating collateral growth in humans.

The S100A8/A9 complex may be involved in the inflammatory process of coronary atherosclerotic plaques in patients with UA.

Background: S100A8/A9 complex (S100A8/A9) is expressed in activated human neutrophils and macrophages. Enhanced expression of S100A8/A9 in atherosclerotic plaque of patients with unstable angina pectoris (UAP) has been demonstrated, but its profile in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has not been clarified. Methods and Results:Serum S100A8/A9 levels were serially measured in patients with AMI (n=55) and UAP (n=16) during the acute period. The expression of S100A8/A9 was examined immunohistochemically in the infarcted myocardium of 7 autopsied patients with AMI. Serum S100A8/A9 levels on the 1st day were 1,118±115 (SE) ng/ml in AMI patients as compared with 787±147 ng/ml in UAP patients. On days 3-5, serum S100A8/A9 levels in AMI patients reached a peak value and were significantly higher than the values in UAP patients (1,690±144 ng/ml vs 844±100 ng/ml; P<0.0001). In AMI patients, peak S100A8/A9 levels positively correlated with peak white blood cell and neutrophil counts, and peak creatine kinase-MB and peak C-reactive protein levels. Double immunostaining revealed that S100A8/A9 was specifically expressed in neutrophils and macrophages infiltrating the infarcted myocardium.Conclusions: S100A8/A9 is implicated in the pathophysiology of AMI and may be an additional biomarker of the local inflammatory response following AMI. (Circ J 2010; 74: 741 - 748)

Background: C-reactive protein (CRP), a useful marker for inflammatory diseases, is not always sensitive to inflammatory reaction in the liver or other tissues. The aim of this study was to develop a sensitive and specific method for detecting inflammatory responses associated with transplant rejection. Methods: We developed a new, highly sensitive ELISA system for the measurement of serum human myeloidrelated protein complex (MRP8/14), using monoclonal antibodies against MRP8/14, and applied it to specimens obtained from patients undergoing small intestine or liver transplantation. Results: This assay could detect MRP8/14 concentrations as low as 2 g/L. Within-run CVs were 3.7-6.1% and between-day CVs were 5.6 -8.7% for MRP8/14 concentrations of 117-3300 g/L. Mean recovery was 104% (range, 80 -128%). We observed a marked increase in serum MRP8/14 postoperatively in most recipients of transplants, followed by an increase in CRP 1-7 days after the increase in the complex. The increase in serum MRP8/14 occurred simultaneously with permeation of lymphocytes into the transplanted tissues as a result of rejection of the graft tissues. Conclusions: Accurate measurement of serum MRP8/14 provides a useful clinical diagnostic method tool for